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America’s Day At The Races Telecast To Feature Apple Blossom Showdown, Closing Weekend At Aqueduct

America's Day at the Races, the acclaimed national telecast produced by the New York Racing Association, Inc. (NYRA) in partnership with FOX Sports, will air 19.5 hours of coverage Thursday through Sunday, with stakes action from Oaklawn Park and Aqueduct Racetrack.

Presented by America's Best Racing and Claiborne Farm, America's Day at the Races will broadcast live racing action from the Hot Springs, Arkansas oval featuring a battle between champions Monomoy Girl and Swiss Skydiver in the Grade 1, $1 million Apple Blossom Handicap as well as Closing Weekend of the 11-day spring meet at the Big A.

Broadcast schedule for America's Day at the Races (all times Eastern):

Thursday, April 15
FS2: 1 – 6:30 p.m.

Friday, April 16
FS2: 1 – 6:30 p.m.

Saturday, April 17
FS2: 5 – 8:00 p.m.

Sunday, April 18
FS2: 1 – 2:30 p.m.
FS1: 2:30 – 5:30 p.m.
FS2: 5:30 – 6:30 p.m.

Stakes action from Oaklawn kicks off on Friday, April 16 with a pair of $150,000 stakes for horses bred in Arkansas, including the Rainbow for sophomore sprinters in Race 6 at 5:09 p.m. ET and the Rainbow Miss for sophomore fillies in Race 9 at 6:10 p.m. ET.

Saturday's Oaklawn card will see Silver State seek his fifth consecutive win when he takes on a field of eight in the Grade 2, $1 million Oaklawn Handicap at nine furlongs for older horses in Race 9 at 5:49 p.m. Trained by Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, Silver State launched his win streak in Kentucky with an allowance win in October at Keeneland ahead of an optional-claiming score at Churchill Downs a month later. He enters off two wins at Oaklawn in the Fifth Season in January and the Essex Handicap last out on March 13.

The 1 1/16-mile Apple Blossom for older fillies and mares in Race 11 at 7:09 p.m. offers a heavyweight battle as the reigning champion older dirt female Monomoy Girl takes on last year's champion 3-year-old filly Swiss Skydiver.

Trained by Brad Cox and owned by My Racehorse Stable, Spendthrift Farm and Madaket Stables, Monomoy Girl has banked more than $4.5 million in earnings from a record of 14 wins in 16 starts. A winner of the Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Distaff in 2018 and 2020, Monomoy Girl captured the Grade 3 Bayakoa in her seasonal debut on February 28 in the slop at Oaklawn. Florent Geroux has the call aboard Monomoy Girl from the outermost post 6.

Peter J. Callahan's Swiss Skydiver, trained by Kenny McPeek, boasts a record of 13-7-3-1 with purse earnings in excess of $2 million. The Daredevil chestnut captured the Grade 1 Alabama at Saratoga in August ahead of a runner-up effort to Shedaresthedevil in the Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks. Swiss Skydiver exited that effort to best the boys in the Grade 1 Preakness before ending a five-win campaign with an off-the-board effort in the Breeders' Cup Distaff. She launched her 4-year-old season with a score in the Grade 1 Beholder Mile on March 13 at Santa Anita Park. Robby Albarado retains the mount from post 2.

The compact 11-day Big A spring meet comes to a close this weekend. Saturday's action includes the $100,000 Woodhaven at 1 1/16-miles on turf for sophomores in Race 8 at 5:19 p.m.

On Sunday, the $100,000 Memories of Silver will feature sophomore fillies trying 1 1/16-miles on the turf, while the $200,000 NYSSS Park Avenue will feature eligible New York-sired sophomore fillies sprinting 6 1/2-furlongs.

America's Day at the Races is also broadcast on NYRA's YouTube channel which boasts more than 65,000 subscribers. Fans can subscribe to NYRA's channel and set a reminder to watch the show on YouTube Live. NYRA's YouTube channel also hosts a plethora of race replays, special features, America's Day at the Races replays and more.

Free Equibase-provided past performances are available for races that are part of the America's Day at the Races broadcast and can be accessed at https://www.nyra.com/aqueduct/racing/tv-schedule.

NYRA Bets is the official wagering platform of Aqueduct Racetrack, and the best way to bet every race of the winter meet. Available to horseplayers nationwide, the NYRA Bets app is available for download today on iOS and Android at www.NYRABets.com.

The post America’s Day At The Races Telecast To Feature Apple Blossom Showdown, Closing Weekend At Aqueduct appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Mexican Champion Letruska Under The Radar In Apple Blossom Showdown

Clearly, the stars of the $1 million Apple Blossom Handicap (Grade 1) for older fillies and mares at 1 1/16 miles Saturday at Oaklawn are Eclipse Award winners Monomoy Girl and Swiss Skydiver.

As for the small supporting cast, the most accomplished of the four other entrants is Letruska for trainer Fausto Gutierrez and breeder/owner St. George Stable LLC (German Larrea Mota-Velasco).

A champion in Mexico for her Mexican connections, the speedy Letruska has won 12 of 17 lifetime starts, including the $125,000 Shuvee (G3) Aug. 30 at Saratoga and the $300,000 Houston Ladies Classic (G3) Jan. 31 at Sam Houston. In her return to Oaklawn, Letruksa finished second, beaten a head by Shedaresthedevil, in the $350,000 Azeri Stakes (G2) March 13. The Azeri is the final major local prep for the Apple Blossom.

“I know it's a tough race, but this is the perfect spot to try,” Gutierrez said after Letruksa's half-mile bullet workout Sunday morning at Oaklawn. “We don't have anything to lose. Any of these horses have to run their best race to win. Of course, Letruska, but Swiss Skydiver needs her best effort and Monomoy, too.”

Letruksa won her first seven career starts, including six at Hipodromo De Las Americas in Mexico City. The streak was highlighted by blowouts in two legs of Mexico's Triple Crown for 3-year-old fillies in 2019 – Clasico Esmeralda (G1) and Clasico Diamante (G1) – when Letruksa was named the country's divisional champion.

“Why not three? Because one is just for Mexican-breds,” Gutierrez said.

Larrea Mota-Velasco, a copper mining mogul, bred Letruksa in Kentucky. The 5-year-old mare is by 2010 Kentucky Derby winner and Arkansas Derby runner-up Super Saver.

In addition to the Shuvee and Houston Ladies Classic, Letruksa's resume includes a front-running romp against males in her American debut, the restricted $85,000 Copa Invitacional del Caribe Stakes, in December 2019 at Gulfstream Park, an allowance victory last April at Oaklawn and a victory in the $100,000 Rampart Stakes (G3) Dec. 12 at Gulfstream Park. Letruska normally goes straight to the front in her races.

Letruska won her six starts in Mexico by a combined 40 ½ lengths and joined select company, Gutierrez said, with her American success.

Gutierrez said Mazatleca is the only other horse to begin its career in Mexico and win a graded stakes race in the United States. The Mexican-bred Mazatleca captured the $50,000 Red Bank Handicap (G3) in 1986 at Monmouth Park before going on to a distinguished broodmare career. Mazatleca is the dam of Grade 1 winner Wild Escapade and Grade 2 winner Mazel Trick.

But no horse that started its racing career in Mexico, Gutierrez said, has won a Grade 1 race in the United States. Letruksa, in her Grade 1 debut in the United States, finished fifth in the $300,000 Ballerina last August at Saratoga.

“This is the big gap,” Gutierrez said. “Maybe the horses that run in Mexico, in the Triple Crown, run here for a claiming price or for $12,000 (allowance purse). It's another planet. There's no comparison. It's absolutely another planet. It's not like Argentina or Brazil or maybe Chile – to the level it's very good.”

Letruksa nearly grabbed her signature American victory in the Azeri, falling just short of catching 2020 Kentucky Oaks winner Shedaresthedevil after, unexpectedly, coming from off the pace in the 1 1/16 mile race.

“That was not the plan,” Gutierrez said.

Letruksa switches from Joel Rosario to three-time reigning Eclipse Award-winning jockey Irad Ortiz Jr. for the Apple Blossom. Letruksa is scheduled to break from post 3 Saturday. Swiss Skydiver drew post 2, Monomoy Girl post 6 in the projected six-horse field.

Instead of shipping back to her South Florida base, Letruksa remained at Oaklawn following the Azeri and recorded two works leading up the Apple Blossom. She covered a half-mile in :48.80 April 4 and zipped a half-mile in :47.20 last weekend, galloping out 5 furlongs in :59.40.

“She's a very sound filly,” Gutierrez said. “I think 5 years old is the perfect age for her.”

Letruska, a seven-time stakes winner, has career earnings of $557,319.

The Apple Blossom headlines Saturday's 12-race card, with probable post time 6:09 p.m. (Central). It is the 11^th race. First post Saturday is 12:02 p.m.

The projected Apple Blossom field from the rail out: Another Broad, Ricardo Santana Jr. to ride, 115 pounds; Swiss Skydiver, Robby Albarado, 122; Letruska, Irad Ortiz Jr., 118; Chance to Shine, Ken Tohill, 114; Getridofwhatailesu, Francisco Arrieta, 117; and Monomoy Girl, Florent Geroux, 124.

The infield, weather permitting, will be open Saturday.

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Joel Rosario Fined For Misjudging Finish At Oaklawn

Top jockey Joel Rosario has been fined $200 by stewards at Oaklawn Park after riding “well past the finish wire” on April 10, reports the Thoroughbred Daily News.

Rosario was aboard favorite Rushie in the $400,000 Oaklawn Mile, a one-mile contest over the main track which begins and ends at the sixteenth pole in lieu of the regular finish line. Though Rushie was passed by By My Standards for the victory, Rosario continued to ride his mount another sixteenth of a mile, apparently misjudging the wire.

Gabriel Saez, aboard By My Standards, appeared to speak to Rosario after the wire, with Saez “reaching out left-handed to give Rosario a seemingly friendly post-race tap on the right shoulder.”

Read more at the Thoroughbred Daily News.

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Rosario Fined for Misjudging Finish in Nose Loss on Stakes Favorite

Jockey Joel Rosario, who leads North America with 20 stakes wins this year, was fined $200 for misjudging the finish wire aboard a 9-5 favorite who lost an Apr. 10 stakes race by a nose at Oaklawn Park.

Rosario piloted Rushie (Liam's Map) in the $400,000 Oaklawn Mile S., but apparently forgot races at that distance at the track end at the sixteenth pole and not the traditional finish line.

Rushie had seized the lead off the turn and was getting reeled in by a fast-closing By My Standards (Goldencents) as the sixteenth-pole finish loomed.

By My Standards seemed to have the winning momentum regardless of where Rosario thought the wire was, but the head-on replay reveals that Rosario was still driving Rushie while Gabriel Saez rose in the saddle aboard By My Standards.

The two jockeys appeared to speak while galloping out on the far turn, with Saez reaching out left-handed to give Rosario a seemingly friendly post-race tap on the right shoulder.

The official Equibase chart notes that Rosario “continued riding well past the finish wire.”

The ruling was issued Sunday by the Oaklawn stewards.

The post Rosario Fined for Misjudging Finish in Nose Loss on Stakes Favorite appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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